COMCEC Tourism Outlook 2017
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receipts count as exports and for many destinations tourism is a vital source of foreign currency
earnings and an important contributor to the economy, creating much needed employment and
opportunities for development. From the period 1980 to 2016, international tourism receipts
increased from US$ 104 billion in 1980 to US$ 1,220 billion in 2016 (UNWTO, 2016a). Average
spending per arrival was also 990 US$.
Figure 3.5 shows the international tourism receipts as well as tourist arrivals for the period
2005-2016. International tourism receipts grew by 2.6 % in real terms (i.e. using local
currencies at constant prices in order to adjust for inflation and exchange rate fluctuations) in
2016 by reaching to US$ 1,220 billion. The unusually strong exchange rate fluctuations in 2015
and 2016 significantly influenced receipts for individual destinations and regions expressed in
current US dollars. As the US dollar appreciated against virtually all other currencies in the last
two years, earnings in local currencies converted to US$ were in many cases lower than in 2014.
In absolute terms, international tourism receipts in destinations around the world decreased by
US$ 32 billion compared to 2014. In euro for example total receipts were 942 billion euro in
2014 and 1102 billion euro in 2016.
In addition to receipts earned in the destinations (the travel item of the balance of payments),
international tourism also generated US$ 216 billion in exports through international passenger
transport services rendered to non-residents in 2016. As such, total receipts from international
tourism, including international passenger transport, reached US$ 1.4 trillion in 2016 resulting
a contribution of US$ 4 billion a day to global export earnings.
Figure 3.5 International Arrivals & Tourism Receipts (2005-2016)
Source: UNWTO
Advanced economy destinations (+1.6%) recorded somewhat slower growth also in receipts
than emerging economy destinations (+4.4%). By region, the largest increase in receipts for the
Africa was recorded as +8% (in real terms) in 2016. It is followed by Asia and the Pacific by +5%,
Americas by +3% and Europe by 1%. The receipts in Middle East declined by -2%in 2016.
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2000 2005 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015* 2016
Number of tourists (millions of people) Tourism receipts (billion dollars)